Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017

One of my most embarrassing moments. occurred when I was about

22 years old

in Oscoda, Michigan

It happened about 10 at night.

I was

I just had laid down in my bed.

in the barracks at worksmith Air Force Base

And I was staring at the ceiling.

and I just I felt like I was in the I just felt like God just sorta ushered me in this presents.

and I I really wasn't concerned about anything. except being in his presence

and when you're in the presence of the Lord

Sometimes you just break out in a song.

And so Heather I sang. I love you Lord. And I lift my voice. To worship you oh my soul.

By the time I finished the song.

reality hit

my bed was the top bunk and my roommate was on the bottom bunk. Wasn't a believer.

And I'm like a whole letter I do. Morning.

Kevin

he looked at me and he said

Was that the baptism in the Holy Spirit?

There's something about being in the presence of God, isn't it?

When I do something I alright I thought about it this morning and then I I'm like, no, I'm not going to do it.

And I'm going to I'm going to do it. I don't know where it's going to go.

Go. Sorry, I'm sure she thinks I'm becoming or Wisconsin tonight. I'm having that that inflection in my voice.

When I was when I was a young man. Well, I mean probably 11 12 years old. I I am I would sneak off into the fellowship hall at the church because there was this this piano is an old piano. I don't think it ever was tuned. And I began to just play different songs on that. And there was just something about just being all by yourself. Just sitting down at a piano and just worshiping Lord.

And I've done it over the years probably not so much now then probably.

When I was younger in Ministry, I would do it a lot because Ministry absolutely frightening to me. Dealing with people and all the problems Brighton to me. And so there was just something about going into the sanctuary. I won't even turn the lights on just sitting next to piano and just the strumming different songs and just reminding myself how good God is

So sometimes I've been through that Sanctuary I would. I go to the piano promise watch her just don't even have pianos anymore there keyboards. And I would I would sit down.

To do the piano knowing hoping that nobody was in the building. Because when you're worshipping and I'm not I'm not talking about corporate worship. I'm talking about that private personal worship. It's so personal. That it's easy.

not easy, but there's something about just I don't even know how to put it just being washed in the water. Does that make sense? Yeah, I know. This is sometimes I mean specially when life gets hard. pain Fallen crazy Just sometimes just want to be lost in his presence, don't you?

on the arm

I remember one time I did that. I just sat in this sanctuary. in in Tennessee, and I just you know, I'm not a piano player. I you know.

I can press a key like little Lincoln dead this morning.

and then you just you just think about

What it means?

To know that God loves you so much.

That he saved you by his grace.

and it seems like

all the problems that just sort of captivated your week.

Just melt away.

Because God your God.

It's more than emotion more than just a ritual. Keep your God. Is your father?

And although you want to just be in his presence.

You want to give him the glory in the praise and you're not worried about what anybody else is saying or thinking or you're not worried about the time? There's No Agenda when you're in the presence of God there just none

Can you say oh God?

I want to be in your presents and I want to serve you and I want to love you. I want to honor you.

Oh God, the flesh takes over and I live in worry and fear and I try to maintain my own agenda my own will and and it never works.

Then I'm back in that sanctuary. front of that piano

I'm single God.

I want to submit and surrender my life to you.

I'm so Nobody looking around nobody nobody paying attention to me. Nobody. You know, I don't worry about that. I just How do you say oh God. Be my God. Rule my life. Change me transforming because God I'm tired of the way. I I try to run my life. tired of trying to superintend all the stuff

God you be glorified. and so so I I think through

those moments of Praise intimate worship intimate worship.

And I break out in a little song Maybe. I love you Lord. or as the deer pants for the water

or something like this.

You are my God. I know I will ever praise you.

Oh God, you are my God.

And I will ever praise you.

I will see you in the morning.

Step by step. You will leave me. I will follow you. Hey day.

and my God

I will see step by step.

I will follow you. all of my day

I will follow you. All of Me

I will follow you all of my days.

And step by step you will leave.

I will follow you.

Why so crazy, isn't it?

in one of the main things the enemy wants to do is distract us so much that we don't enter into authentic worship and praise of his name.

Wednesday night. I've been teaching on the Minor Prophets.

This past week we were looking at. Jonah Beyond

almost every Wednesday night somebody in the class comes to me and says Pastor watch it. You need to do that on Sunday morning.

And so I'm not going to do the exactly what I did Wednesday night, but

the story of Jonah resonates very strongly With me right now in the direction God is leading our church. And I think God. God is giving me a prophetic message to give to you today.

in Matthew 12

Jesus has an encounter with the religious leaders.

and the encounter goes like this and Matthew 12 beginning with verse 38. Then some of the scribes and the Pharisees answered him saying teacher. We wish. To see a sign from you.

What do you answer them? An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. We're just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish. So will the son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the Earth.

The men of Nineveh will rise up at the Judgment with this generation and condemn it for they repented at the preaching of Jonah and behold something greater than Jonah. It was here.

Many of you might be familiar with the story of Jonah in the Old Testament. Jonah was a prophet of God.

God's man God came the jhonen said Jonah go to Nineveh.

Preach to them.

because if they do not repent and believe they are doomed.

So, what did Jonah do?

He had no compassion at all for the people, Nova. spec Nova None of what was the center?

Of what Jonah viewed as his greatest enemy.

The Assyrian Empire caused Israel all kinds of problems. And now God comes to Jonah that says Jonah. I want you to preach to Nineveh so that they may have opportunity to respond repent and respond to the message.

and Jonah said no.

And he ran away. In fact, he went to the opposite direction of Nineveh. In what some people think is present-day Spain?

That was like the ends of the Earth. He was trying to get as far away not only from his calling but from God.

Because he did not like what God set. He was in Rebellion. The man of God was in Rebellion. The person who knew the word of God knew the stories of God knew the compassion of God knew the grace of God knew the Judgment of God. He was now on the run because he did not want to be in the presence of God.

But God in his great love.

God who is in fact all knowing. everywhere present and all-powerful Would not let this. Unbelieving disobedient preacher off the hook. So God chase them chase them down.

Got threw him out of the ship into the belly of a fish. And for three days he lived in that fish.

How did it happen? I don't know it just happened. The god of the universe that can create everything he can do whatever he wants to do as far as getting our attention and I will tell you he got Jonah's attention.

Sedona parade

And God released him. And then God came to Jonah a second time. Jonah chapter 3 verse 1 the scripture says then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time saying arise. Go to Nineveh that great City and call out against it in the message that I tell you. It wasn't going to be the message of Jonah. It was going to be the message of God.

The scripture says so Jonah arose and he went to Nineveh. It seemed that he learned his lesson. Obeying God is better. Then being in the belly of the fish.

I guess it's all about perspective.

I'm so Jonah began to go into the city going in a Day Day's Journey and he called out yet 40 days and then over shall be overcome.

in the people of Benin they believed God, you know, what's interesting about the the message that God gave Jonah to give to the ninevites in the Hebrew. It was only 5 words.

Only 5 words and what was the response to one of the greatest cities of that time one of the most populous cities of that time. They believe they responded to five words. Let me tell you something. That just does not happen in the natural but it happens in the Supernatural when God commission's us to fulfill his purpose. God is also preparing the way and not only is God preparing the way he's preparing the reception because no one can come to God without the the the convicting power of the Holy Spirit to be upon them and friends the the power of the Holy Spirit.

What's up on the ninevites five words and they belief?

I've been told that it takes typically on average 7.

People to engage in a person's life in sharing the gospel before they respond to the message.

But listen to me when God.

Is stirring your heart? To be what Jesus said in Matthew Chapter 5 light in a dark world. He doesn't waste the lights. And he prepares the way he prepares the reception.

and the ninevites responded

they called out for a fast they put on sackcloth from the greatest of them to the least of them. It didn't even stop there the word reached the king of Nineveh and he rolls from his throat removed his rope coward himself or closed himself with sackcloth and he sat in ashes. Any issue the proclamation published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his Nobles let neither man nor Beast her nor flock taste anything let them not feed or drink water. But let man and Beast be covered with sackcloth and let them call out to call out my only to God let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands who know God may turn and relent. And turn from his Fierce anger so that we may not perish.

If the story would have ended there. But it didn't.

verse or chapter 4 verse 1 says but it displeased Jonah exceedingly and he was angry.

Listen to this thought that I have for you.

I know our world. Is wicked.

filled with Sim and it seems that our world is doing its absolute best to be as creative as possible with Sim. Every time I think we have reached a new low. In a couple years that seems to be the high.

My heart breaks for house in has concealed people's understanding of the truth of the Gospel. my heart breaks that the truth of Christ seems to be marginalized. in our culture But listen to me carefully.

I think God. Is doing something.

The last several days of have been crazy in my life. I've I've had to do a lot of I've been so busy very busy.

And sometimes when I am busy and I'm stressed I got to fight an outlet. And a my outlet has been listening to music.

But I've not been drawn. the typical, you know contemporary Christian music

I always drawn to music that could be construed as Christian or secular to go either way.

No, you got to listen to my whole story Liz. I don't want you think I'm backsliding or anything.

But it wasn't the song that I was I'm going on YouTube because I wanted to see this I wasn't wanting to necessarily hear it. I wanted to see it. I wanted to see What's happening? in the audience

Emmett fascinates me

because even among the pagan among the unbelievers among those that don't give God the time of day. They don't understand something. Sometimes we don't understand it. But see God created us in His image and one of the parts of his images. He's caused us to want to be close to him. Kate not a problem with that is that too many times. We try to figure it out on our our own and not not get on God's agenda we get on our own agenda. We try to Forint fashion god in the in an image that we're comfortable with. But I am telling you God is doing something and I'm I'm catching glimpses of it.

The one of the one of the one of the videos that I viewed this week was from an artist by the name of when you get my paper up.

and I folded this the wrong way there this Josh Groban, have you ever heard of him?

He's singing a song. That's incredibly popular. I admit I've heard it before but I can I can blame.

I could blame. Can I blame Bob Mason I can blame you because he had it in his wedding. You Raise Me Up Cake so there's the secular concert going on. Any sings this song?

The whole demeanor the thousands in the audience changes radically. And I know you can dispute it is a love song You Know? well it is but I view it a little differently probably than the than secular people. But as he begins to sing it.

It's like it turned it into a worship service. And people didn't even realize.

I believe the presence of God was there I just buy I mean it just felt like oh my goodness. And I've seen this over and over and over again fronts. Because see the world is looking for something that's why I believe that we're poised to see a Great Awakening and I believe the leadership that the throngs that are going to thrust that that Great Awakening into reality are going to be the Millennials. I believe it with all my heart have no doubt in my mind because see their receptive C2 or too often, you know, we in the church, we we we seen it before and we know how to say the things and we know how to how to how to do the stuff but but I think if we're not careful we can easily go through the motions but be devoid, What it what is the scripture says they had the power the 2nd 2nd Timothy. What is it?

Another reason why I'm bringing this to your attention and it's almost like a part 2 of last week is that we have a world that God so deeply loves that he gave his son for the whole world not just for you and me.

And he has called us as followers of Jesus Christ to be fully engaged in his agenda. But see too many of us are like Jonah we become angry. We have this Viewpoint day. Do not deserve to hear the message of the Gospel. We look at the wickedness of our world in the center of our world and we have no love for people. We separate ourselves fully from engaging in the mission of God thinking that we Are Spiritual and we are fully engaged in what God is doing but God is calling his church to be light in a dark world and communicate that truth of the life-saving message cup rice so that those people can have the capability have the opportunity of responding to the message of the Gospel.

Jonah was so angry with God he wanted to die. You told I said just kill me.

Is prejudism his fate?

What's the point where he just wanted to totally disengage from life? And then God did something. And again, if you are reading this for the very first time you you think it's going to go in a certain direction what God does his is Jonah is is sitting down it's hot. And God supernaturally grows a plant that covers Jonas so he has shade. And shoulder feels really good.

Oh God, you're so good to me. You're so gracious when I was when it was so hard and And in the sun beating down on me, you cared enough to grow a plant that cover in the shield me.

But see God. Was doing it for a different reason.

Because next God allows the plant to die. And Jonah is grieving over the plant.

and God says you grieve over a plant. But you don't care about people who are dying. And going to hell.

Should you not pity them Jonah?

friends

God is stirring us. To see a glimpse of what he intends to do.

And God is doing it if we God God will allow us to see it and God will allow us to participate if we are willing.

See too often we who are in the United States. We see all that were just so are our churches are declining Workwear in survival mode, you know, we got to maintain the traditions and that's what our focus is. What I am telling you. The rest of the world is getting with the program, and they're realizing that there's a God in heaven that we need to buy laarni too, and we need to yield to and we need to trust in God with

The Washington Post maybe I said it last week. I can't remember. But in the Washington Post a couple years ago, they had an article it blew my mind.

Mmm part of that article said this

One in every four Christians are Pentecostal in the world. and then the author of this secular article said this think it this way. One in every 12 persons on this planet right now are Pentecostal and this number is growing.

God is pouring out his spirit in Central and South America in Africa and Asia there more Christians in China than there are in the United States. God is doing an incredible work and I will tell you God I do not believe is wanting to just totally turn his back on a country of of 350,000 people from 350 million people died loves the people that you rub shoulders with everyday and he wants to reach out to them and he wants to he wants to to to to lift them up. And he wants to give them hope and a future. But God has chosen the church to be the Hope in the world by being the communicators of the message of Christ.

This is why we do missions in this church next Sunday God willing we're going to receive Faith promises the 6-month commitment on missions giving it helps us to know how many missionaries we can support and love to add a few more missionaries to 222 what we already do but friends that's not that's not the only thing that we should be doing. We need ourselves to be light in this world. Our community receive desperately needs to hear the message of Jesus Christ Mount Pleasant desperately needs to hear the message of Jesus Christ. Caledonia desperately needs to hear the message of Jesus Christ. Are we willing to do that? See I believe that God is stirring our hearts today. I believe that God in the April FedExForum is reminding us that he is not done with the Great Commission that he has called the church to rise and to stand and to be counted of ones that would be light in this. I firmly thoroughly believe it and I believe people are ready to harvest is ready.

People just need an adequate witness of the Gospel. Bring me people that will stand in the Gap in praying for the Lost. Beautiful waitress battle with the Enemy the enemy Satan hates God so much. He wants to hurt God as much as he possibly can in the only way he can hurt. His bike bite him during the message of Christ to touch the lives of so many millions of people that that if they are not responding message of Christ and they will spend eternity apart from the Lord.

This this theme has just been pounding at me. I'm thinking okay. I'm just now going through a season of my life. I'm emotional right now and now, you know everything I get emotional on everything.

But then I sold the couch saying no. Let's not stress. and no this is Not just because you're getting older.

because call Racine Assembly of God.

To be light in the dark world. the beak rock climbers of the message of Christ

so that lives will be changed. And transformed and set free. But the chains that are holding people down will be broken. That fear will be broken. Then anxiety will be broken. But the power soon will be broken.

Helmet, would you come to the piano?

the story of Josh

Groban is an interesting one of how he was discovered.

He's a teenager and his voice teacher out in lived in Los Angeles, Southern California Cent. a recording of Josh's voice 2 to a Hollywood producer

Is Hollywood producer? Saturn an interview. He said he said ninety-nine times out of a hundred. It's just a waste of time. But every once in awhile, you discover somebody and Josh's voice really got to me.

and so he

she kept that in mind and I don't know how many months later. This Hollywood producer. He's a big-time Orchestra conductor. They were getting ready for the Emmys.

And one of the the main stars and operatic singer couldn't be there for the rehearsal. So this producer calls Josh up on the phone. He says I need you down the come down to the studio, and I need you to to to to to sing. In fact that the it was a duet.

And what's her name Celine Dion? Celine sorry I should have got I should have checked with my wife. She could have helped me with all the pronunciation. Hey, they were supposed to okay, so here was that he was the thing. He's 17 years old and he doesn't want to do it. Okay. The producer said you could do it. It's in your range. No, it's not my rain. Yes. You can while I never done this before you're going to be fine. Nobody's going to be there. Just you and Miss Beyond.

And and that's it. So we gets over there. He gets on the stage. His his dad is with him his dad films this whole thing.

Josh is shaking. an absolute fright On the stage you can see the paper that the music sheets that he's holding in his hands are just shaking violently. Exodus big time Hollywood actress gets close to him It looks like he's going to faint.

And the producer lied to him because everybody was there but Donna was there. I mean Rosie O'Donald was I mean everybody was there in the audience during this rehearsal.

and then the music starts and he begins to sing.

The movie star says I nearly fell over. There was a huge hush in the whole Auditorium. As they sing the duet some of your familiar with the prayer.

Oprah Winfrey interviewed him months later about this incredible story and she made this comment.

She says, you know a lot of people say this is luck.

but it's when opportunity or when when preparation meets opportunity

But for the Christian, this is the whole reason for this look for the Christian. It's not just merely preparation and it's not merely opportunity. It's the Divine will and sovereignty of God. And the Divine will and sovereignty of God.

Is always interested in the Lost?

You make yourself available. Make yourself available to God. You may say Pastor. I don't even know what to say. Don't worry about it. Let the Holy Spirit speak through you.

because friends We're living on borrowed time. Jesus is coming soon. And we need to not merely be ready ourselves. We need to be on a rescue mission friends. The church is on a rescue mission friends were going to spend an eternity worshiping the Lord.

We're going to spend an eternity in the presence of God.

Now don't get me wrong. Yes. We're to be worshipping the Lord being in his presence. I'm being in his presence is Like Oxygen to me. But listen to me very carefully friends. There's something that's not going to happen in heaven. There is no evangelism in heaven. Because everybody in heaven is saved.

If God was not interested in evangelism.

Then his then in his grace and mercy, he should have just had our heart stop when we received them. But he didn't. You're alive and you're breathing. Because you are people on a mission.

We are Rescuers.

We are First Responders in the Kingdom.

So let's make this purse.

You say pastor?

I have a close family member to make this as personal as possible. I have a close family member. That doesn't know Jesus.

If he or she should die today, they would spend an eternity in hell.

I want you to think of that person's name right now.

Exit in your mind's eye.

And this is what we're going to do.

We're going to pray. for that person

close family member. You know the name.

We're going to pray for that person.

Father in heaven

Great. God and King. creator of the ends of the Earth

omnipotent omniscient omnipresent.

We renew our calling. To reach our world with the message of Jesus Christ and we begin the step by praying for our close family member.

Lord God I pray for my cousin Aaron that desperately needs to hear your message of salvation.

God we pray for each one of these names we called them out before you we stand in the Gap in the ministry of intercession. We pray that you will send forth Labor's into the Harvest ale we pray God that each one of these people will have an encounter with the message of Christ. We pray God against the enemy to conceal the truth of Christ.

Lord God I pray in the name of Jesus. Break the chains that bind them. Set them free.

Call upon the name of Christ. Lord that you would wash them with the cleansing power of your blood shed Calvary.

Oh God.

Help us Lord.

To be light in a dark world. in the name of Jesus Amen Let's Stand Together.

I'm going to close. Give Me 2 minutes and then we're done.

In this room, I know of several of you this year 2017 has been a Monumental year because this is the year that you became a follower of Jesus Christ.

This is the year that you experienced life transformation. But sometimes the rest of us who've been safe for awhile. We we don't see what God is doing already. I did not ask permission. And if I blow it Ross, please forgive me, okay?

Because I I never like to embarrass anybody never want to put anybody on the spot.

several months ago maybe a little bit more than several months 5 months ago or so.

the youth went to Fine Arts Festival. Do I have the right occasion? You know what I'm talking about? Okay, you know what I'm talking about, don't you?

Sometime in the evening before Fine Arts Festival.

rich rich rich rich

Went to Ross. he said

I want to become a follower of Christ.

So we don't know those stories.

but those stories abound because friends we serve a God in heaven. God loves the lost. And wants to set people free.

So let's allow God to change your heart. So we can be all that God has. Ross can we do that? Can we allow God to change your heart?

Helmet, I promise 2 minutes in a pastor's have long two minutes.

Do the key for I Love You Lord? Yeah.

Going to have to help me out. So you have to really sing it out loud. Okay, that's an old song because he this was a song that I saw when I was in there Force. But let's let this be the benediction to our our gathering together. Lets us. Let's just be our prayer hallelujah hallelujah.

I love you Lord. diamond

2

oh my

Joy joy, mighty.

Amen. Amen. Amen. God bless you Hallelujah.